Mar 19 special

This is one argument against entitlement in our current culture, this is the statement that says ultimately--some people are better than others, and that’s a fact we should all embrace.

I don’t embrace that as a fact, in fact I believe that statement is completely false.

Don’t get me wrong, I am actually against entitlements.

For example, I believe that we should keep score in kids’ soccer games and I believe that awards should be given out to children who dedicate themselves through hard work and not everyone should get a trophy.

I hate that through our “everyone wins” culture we have young adults in the world who feel like they are worth more money, more respect, and more power than they have earned.

The fact is that we have all been given gifts that make us special, and it is only with hard work that those gifts can shine as bright as they were intended to.

WE ARE ALL SPECIAL.

That truth does not take away from any other person and their gifts, that fact does not automatically make being special ordinary and therefore not special at all.What that statement says is that we all have special gifts within us, and if we want to be recognized for those gifts we have to uncover them and work at making them shine.We are intended to use our gifts for the Glory of God and when He is glorified we will be as well.

This is the lesson we need to teach our babies; losing is hard, not being the best kind of stings, but it’s the way that we handle losses that show our hearts.Sometimes it’s failing at one thing that leads you to discover your talent at another.It’s our job as mamas to walk with our kids through the failures to find the gifts.We need to show them what it means to fall with grace, then stand back up and try again.We need to teach them that even if they aren’t the greatest soccer player of all time they can still have fun playing the game and discovering where their true gifts lie in the meantime.

Let’s turn to the Gospel…

Romans 12:3-11“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”

We are all created beings, all created by a loving God, all made for a purpose.That makes us all special.

We cannot all be good at everything but we can all be good at OUR thing.

So let’s help our babies find their thing, the thing that makes them shine.While you walk that road together there is bound to be disappointment, and hard falls, but how much sweeter does that make the gift when it’s discovered.A gift hard won through hard work, through trying and failing, through trusting and glorifying God together.

Now this doesn’t just apply to your babies mamas, this is a word for you too.What are your talents and gifts??Do you sit at home and look at pinterest or facebook constantly wandering through the gifts God has given others, I do.When I am absorbing everyone else’s successes through social media it’s really easy for me to see my own gifts or talents as less than, or look at my projects and plans as failures.

Let’s not fall into that trap!

In the same way we, as mothers, are called to help our children uncover their gifts and talents, we have to be willing to do the same for ourselves.

Have you always wanted to paint?Did you dabble in music for a while??Are you fantastic at math and science??What makes you special??I love this article Jeanne Oliver did HERE.Don’t waste your time sisters, follow the pulls of your heart and see what you uncover.It might be a failure, but it also might bring you one step closer to your gift that shines with the light of Jesus.

One thing that I know with all of my heart is that God made each and every one of us special, he gave each and every one of us gifts that He wants us to use for His glory.We have them within ourselves and our little ones carry them as well.It is up to us to discover them, to use them, to shine them up like silver, and glorify the creator of all good things.

Have you found the thing that makes you shiney?? For me it’s been speaking.I know with certainty that telling people about Jesus is His thing for me, and I only just recently discovered it {although it’s a direction I have been moving in my whole life}.If you all take some time to examine your gifts and talents {or if you have and come up with a direction you feel like God is giving especially to you} I would love for you to comment here so that we can pray for you and support you!!I would also love to see your comments if you have discovered a way to help your children find their gifts as well.Love you all and love this community!

In Love, Amber

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Amber is a mama to 4 and you can connect with her via twitter or Instagram @ambervnewberry